A 30-year-old Lusaka man has been sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing his sister’s cow worth K2,500.

In this matter, Kebby Chilwesa of Mungule in Lusaka, was facing one count of stock theft and was found guilty of the offence by the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court.

Particulars of the offence were that on June 30, 2018, Chilwesa stole a cow valued at K2,500, belonging to his sister, Lydia Chilwesa.

The matter came up before magistrate Nsunge Chanda, Wednesday, for judgement.

Evidence before court was that on the material day, Lydia saw her brother, Kebby, going into her kraal around 07:00 hours.

She then saw Kebby pointing at one of the cows while in the company of a Tapela Phiri.

When Lydia asked what Kebby was doing in the kraal, the accused threatened to beat her and kill her.

Kebby later on got a cow from the kraal and sold it to Phiri.

And in her testimony, Lydia had told the court that the cow which her brother sold was Lobola for her daughter.

She said she reported the matter to the neighbourhood watch group and Kebby was arrested.

Meanwhile, Phiri testified that he bought the cow at K800 from Kebby after he went to his house.

He said this was after Kebby informed him that he had a cow for sale.

Phir testified that he had no clue that the cow was stolen.

And in his defence, Kebby claimed that the cow belonged to his laterfather who left it in his care.

He admitted selling it.

However, magistrate Chanda said Kebby’s defence was an afterthought as he had failed to prove that his late father gave him the cow.

Magistrate Chanda convicted Kebby after noting that the evidence from the State witnesses was credible.

In mitigation, Kebby asked the court to exercise lenience on him saying if sent to jail, the cows he was looking after would suffer.

However, magistrate Chanda sentenced him to five years imprisonment with hard labour.

“You went to sell the cow and enjoyed the money you never sweated for. I sentence you to five years imprisonment with hard labour with effect from date of arrest,” ruled magistrate Chanda.